"Even in the darkest and most cruel person, there is still a kernel of good. And within the most perfect champion, there is darkness.T he question is, will one give in to the dark or the light?"

That is the most fascinating thing about Falling Kingdoms. The characters aren't pure good or pure evil (except Gaius, that hideous bastard), they make choices that lead them to one path or another, they fight hard their inner demons, they justify their actions based on their beliefs of right and wrong and their needs. I'm just trying to make sense of everything and finding that nothing at all makes sense. I am not really sure where my loyalties truly lie, I just know that this book was so addictive and exciting that I held my breath in every page!

The death of a peasant in the hands of a royal triggered the events that altered the course of three nations. Through war, death, betrayals and hatred our 4 heroes have to find out who they really are and what they are going to do with that knowledge. In the end, it all comes down to the four crystals that wield unlimited power that can corrupt anyone, and the difficult journey to find them. What remains unanswered is who deserves them the most.

"She would be strong. She would reclaim her rightful throne. She would be queen."

Cleo. The stubborn princess who is used to getting everything she wants. She may be naive sometimes, but her heart is pure and stronger than anyone could ever imagine. I think she is my favorite so far, a young girl with the weight of the world, her family and her nation in her shoulders.

"Weak things are so very easy to break."

Magnus. The prince of a falling kingdom, the son of the King of Blood, he was never respected by his father, who thought kindness is a weakness. I can't forgive him for what he did. I can't forgive him (yet) for becoming so cold and heartless, but I understand him and that is a huge achievement. I hope he will find his way, because there are times that my heart breaks for him.

Lucia. A sorceress princess who doesn't know the vastness of her powers. Everyone wants to use her, from her father to the ancient Watchers. She is a character with great potential for destruction or salvation. Maybe both.

Jonas. I don't know what to make of him. His ideals are noble, he wants to be free, to be considered a human being, he wants a better future for his starving people, but he was blinded by hatred and was manipulative at times, and I am conflicted over him.

"You must continue to believe with all your heart. Sometimes belief is all if takes to make something real."

There are two things Katerina can't live without; books and chocolate. And since she needs money to acquire them, she decided to become a lawyer (and she still wonders whether this was a good idea). When she's not reading, she keeps wishing she was reading, about wars, wizards, dark princes and great romances. Her favorite genres are Fantasy (both YA and Adult) and Contemporary Romance.